Shad fall prey to eagles, catfish – and the weather

There are a lot of shad in the Rock River – dead and alive. And the dead ones are washing up on shore.

They’re a casualty of the recent up-and-down temps.

Shad “are the most abundant prey species in the Rock River,” said Dan Sallee, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ regional fisheries biologist, based in the Sterling office. “They’re at a very high density. They’re what everybody loves to eat. Eagles love them. Catfish love them.”